Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1887-05-06
ON A RICE PLANTATION. ls,
Manner IN Which tho Fields al'o Flooded.
~. a riotMrbsqmo Sight.


AS soon rs tho gorn root pushes out
underneath the grain in search for food
n minute point Is visible above tho ground
reaching up for light and mir. This /, tho
embryo stalk and corresponds with tho
germ root. Tho plant il now III tho
proper stage for forcing and t1io stretch
water should bo put on nc olico. Tho
water is ut first turned on deep, entirely
covering the surface Of tho squares and
the young plant, drinking in the Iifo Civ
ing fluid, commences to rear its head
aloft and reach up FOR light and air. Tho
river water il seldom r0aiwaYsimord
or less tingel' with mud-and tho ten.
der shoot battles manfully with it's semi
translucent covering to bask in tho COM
forting rays of tho sun.
After tho rice has become sufficiently
stretched, or fow inches high-n period
extending through from two to ten
days-tlio water is Stacked down to what
Is known rs ''slacS water gauge" SO rs
to show tho tops of tho plant and give Il
necessary air and sunshine. If tho plant
Is longer than tho water is dccp. which is
generally tho case, it floats its upper
leaves on the surface in long waving
lincB across tho squarcs-a sing,ilarly at
tractivo and beautiful picture. Il seldom
happens, however, that the whole planta-
ton is under tho same treatment at the
samo time, for with 500 or GOO acros to
SOW, it is difficult matter In spring,
with frequent interruptions from rains
nnd bad weather, to coed down so largo
nn acreage in time for any ono spring
tide for flowing. A largo plantation will
run five or Six drills and put in vomo-
times siSty-five or seventy acres daily;
but even with as rapid work as this IL is
impossible to get all in contcmporancous-
ly. Consequently is is Il common thing
TO see, perhaps, onc-fourth of the squares
under tho stretch wator, another fourth
under churgc of the "gun squad" wait.
ing for tho tender point to shoot; another
series under the Bprout water and tho re-
mairidor i'll process Of planting, all ut
once. This necessarily adds greater in
tercst and diversity to tho process and
prospect. UII
Sometimes, too. the rice comes up
mixed with "voluntccr;" thi, II tho pro-
duct OF the grain shaken out during tho
previous harvest and scattered broadcast
over the land. This can generally be re.
moved by the hoe, but where it is very
thick sometimes ncccssitatos replowing
and seeding, thus throwing late IA por-
ton Of the crop. This volunteer rico 10
hardy and prolific and externally similnr
to white rice, but the objection TO il Is
thnt the berry is red and greatly reduces
the grade of rico with which it Ia mixed,
besides totally uniting il for secd. TO
destroy this obnoxious tare the fields arc
sometimes thrown into dry crops for
year or two, or kept under water for o
like time.
1t will bo remembered that each squaro
il under separate control, and, except
whero two or more arc temporarily
united by tho check banks washing
through, can be flowed and drained in
dcpcndcntly at the pleasure Of the planter.
a walk over the banks of plantation at
this period is rcplete with interest; at
overy step the "fiddlcis" scurrying from
under your feet and ducking into their
holes each one us he disappears waving
nloft in defiance his disproportionate
manaclc. Yondcr are small squads of
negroes in twos and thrccs, dragging
with long wooden rnlscs the floating
trash and stubble blown by the wind
i'll masses against the Ice banks and
piling it on the pathways. Over
there the rattle of the grain drills is
heard seeding down the few bertcd
squares. Here is the trunk nlin,lcr with
his assistant hard ut work repairing a
leak. On tho canal bank is the ovcrsccr
in consultation with The planter on hi,
daily visit to the fields, his little sail boat
rocking Mt the wharf down by the
quarter. Attention is called to defcc-
tive trunk or dangerous bank; stretch
water tomorrow, must bc turned on
No. and No. s, and sprout water let OF!
from II and 23. The long cord of tho
submerged thermometer is drawn in hand
over hand, its reading carefully taken
and tho mean temperature Of tho water
for the month in the oversecr's handy
note book is compared with that of last
year and dependent operations dcduced
and determined. From tho high and
dry squares on the further sido comes
the casual pop of the muslict, while
flocks of DAVIS and hungry crows circle
overhead, awaiting their opportunity 10
settle down on the sprouting grain. Ev-
erything works in its appropriate groove
m little is left TO chance.
The stretch water is held Mt tho slack
gauge from twenty to forty days when
tho ''dry root" and the leaves correspond
ing to it have put out. The amphiboIs
and pampcred plant has now had enough
of its stimulating though strictly temper
ate beverage, and is ready for period of
prohibition or dry growth. h.-Soutliern
Bivouac.